Ask HN: The health care reform will create more jobs?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1209218

by sinzone • 16 years ago

6 9 16 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2010/mar/08/nancy-pelosi/pelosi-claims-health-care-reform-will-create-thous/

tptacek2• 16 years ago

No idea. But it will definitely make it easier to change jobs, and it will definitely make it easier to strike out on your own.

ktsmith2• 16 years ago

I'm curious why you say it will make it easier to change jobs or strike out on your own? Only employers with 50 or more employees will be required to offer health care and the mandatory levels of insurance that everyone will be required to purchase are comparable in price to the plans already offered by insurers. The only differences seem to be for preexisting conditions. Those that don't currently have health care due to cost may end up worse off since they can be fined if they do not purchase a minimum level of health care.

akeefer• 16 years ago

Preexisting conditions are a huge issue, though; if the insurance companies dig hard enough (which they do) they can find a reason to deny almost anyone a policy. Do you have high blood pressure? High cholesterol? A low-functioning thyroid? Did you see a doctor because you strained your back when you were 19? Does your kid have asthma? No insurance for you!

Insurers have been known to dig in much more once you make serious claims trying to find something you didn't initially disclose to them so that they can invalidate your policy after the fact.

The bottom line is that the personal health care market is a scary, scary place for a very large number of people, not just people with cancer or heart disease. It's one thing to risk not being able to get coverage, or having your coverage taken away, when it's just you; it's an entirely different deal when you have a family to take care of.

If this reform bill is able to really address that concern, it will make it much easier for a lot of people to transition jobs or start off on their own.

tptacek2• 16 years ago

To understand how bad the situation is now, assume that in some major metro areas, private health insurance for a family of 4 with no known pre-existing conditions might not be available at any price.

WesleyJohnson• 16 years ago

I went from a job at a company whom provided insurance because they could get a pretty decent deal by bargaining with their 150+ employees, to a company who doesn't provide insurance because you can't really bargain with 9 employees.

Luckily, the second job pays me enough to get insurance on my own and I still make more than what I did before, but if I had a family to think of that may not have been the case. For someone in that situation, it would likely be easier to make that jump because of the assistance the government can now provide to those who can't afford insurance on their own.

Not to mention, when the exchange opens up in 2014, more small businesses will be able to provide insurance to their employees and those who absolutely can't take a job with insurance will have more options.

Furthermore, with the tax credits small business will get for providing insurance to their employees, it might free up financial resources for business who already provide insurance to their employees, allowing them to expand their workforce.

blueben• 16 years ago

Whether or not it creates jobs, it will surely save jobs and that may be even more important. Health care is a cost that companies bear, and that cost has been rising at an absurd rate. Unless we do something to control that rate of increase, companies will have to start cutting to save costs and the easiest cuts to make are in staffing.

abrown28• 16 years ago

sure it will.. government jobs. IRS is planning on hiring 1000s

Diogenes• 16 years ago

Only IRS jobs. Expect the nursing shortage to get worse and doctors close to retirement to start closing their practices in droves. No, I'm not going to go into the details for you, the bill language can be found here: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h3590/show

Ask HN: The health care reform will create more jobs?

Related Stories